A POST-COVID PERSPECTIVE ON THE CYBERSECURITY LANDSCAPE

The increased reliance of business on their IT functions means that the cybersecurity sector is required to evolve and grow almost on a daily basis. From single phishing attacks to nation-state attacks used in the midst of the theatre of war, the versatility required from cyber professionals and organisations has never been so imperative, especially with the constant changes in threat landscapes and business operations.

Although not conventionally correlated, the global pandemic has directly influenced complexities in developing robust security architectures. The rise in remote working and the increased preference for cloud-based approaches have ensued major shifts in not just technical advancements, but also in operational.

How has COVID influenced operational arrangements?

The position of CISO has seen advancements in many aspects, from increased salary ranges to restructured hierarchies. With cybersecurity being viewed more as a business risk as opposed to a technological risk, the role of CISO has become fundamental to every business and therefore expanded to include business continuity decisions and liaising with board members for wider business decision making.

As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve the more prevalent the CISO is in the overall success of a business, especially considering the shift to more remote working. We have seen an increased requirement for senior cyber professionals to join organisations and begin maturing and building out their internal security functions.

What technological advancements are influencing the cybersecurity landscape?

The biggest driver of change has been the quick implementation of cloud-based services since the onset of the pandemic. This has meant that cybersecurity strategies have too required quick implementation of new and robust procedures and tools to remediate the increased variety in threats.

The increased aggregation of company data into cloud systems means an efficiency and practicality on terms of the client, however the provider becomes a prime target for data breaches and attacks. With the likes of IaaS and PaaS, the responsibility of securing data, user access, applications and operating systems falls under the remit of the organisations and at differing levels, requiring comprehensive plans and strategies to ensure robust security protocols. IAM and PAM requirements are prevalent in job specifications at the moment, simple access practises are no longer acceptable in environments with increase collaboration and remote access requirements.

What does the future of the cybersecurity landscape look like?

Ultimately, the cybersecurity landscape will continue to evolve and develop to coincide with the constant shifts in attack vectors. Organisations will continue to utilise the most up-to-date systems and platforms available and with this leaning more towards cloud-based computing, robust security strategies, functions and tools will become highly sought after.

There are increasing calls for more governmental regulated approaches to cybersecurity and defence, particularly due to recent events in which cyber attacks are being used in the theatre of war.

There is no doubt that cybersecurity will be at the top of corporate agendas in the post-COVID era, it will be interesting what innovations and transformations will come as a result of this.